Over 1.2 million persons with disabilities in the EU still live in institutions, isolated, segregated. This violates their fundamental rights, including the right to live independently and be included in the community, as guaranteed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Despite EU commitments and funding tools, progress remains too slow. National governments continue to invest in institutional care, often misusing EU funds meant to support community-based services. In 2022, the European Ombudsman confirmed that the Commission must do more to enforce deinstitutionalisation, including through legal action.
In response, the Commission’s 2024 Guidance on independent living was a step forward, but we need more than recommendations. We need an EU Strategy on Deinstitutionalisation that tracks data, holds governments accountable, and integrates this work across anti-poverty, housing, and social care policies.
And we must be clear: Forced sterilisation of disabled persons still exists in parts of the EU. It is state violence, it is a crime against humanity. It should never be a condition for entering care or institutions.
Left MEP Catarina Martins (Bloco de Esquerda, Portugal) said in plenary: “The fight that persons with disabilities have led for the right to independent living is a fight for everyone. It’s a fight for rights, for all people, at every stage of life. Coming here to repeat good intentions is not enough. If the Commission truly wants to combat institutionalisation, I have a shocking suggestion: Stop funding it.”
The Left calls for:
- A binding EU strategy for deinstitutionalisation
- Reform of EU funding, procurement, and budget rules
- An immediate ban on forced sterilisation
- Investment in inclusive public services, not segregation
No more waiting. No more segregation. A social Europe must mean freedom, dignity, and equality for all.
